U.S. patent application number 16/470311 was filed with the patent office on 2019-10-31 for imaging optical apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to NIDEC COPAL CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is NIDEC COPAL CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Kenzo IMAI, Shozo IWATO, Koji SAWANOBORI, Kazuo SHIKAMA, Nobuaki WATANABE.
Application Number | 20190331985 16/470311 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 62558283 |
Filed Date | 2019-10-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20190331985 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SHIKAMA; Kazuo ; et
al. |
October 31, 2019 |
IMAGING OPTICAL APPARATUS
Abstract
An imaging optical apparatus with a thin blade containing member
for containing a blade member for limiting an opening, having an
insertion portion that has an opening; an actuator for causing a
blade member to slide; a containing frame for containing the
actuator and the blade containing member, except for the insertion
portion, having, on an outer edge, a recessed lens frame retaining
portion into which the insertion portion; a lens frame, held in the
lens frame retaining portion, having an insertion hole, for
insertion of the insertion portion so that the center of the
opening will be coaxial with the optical axis; and a clip for
holding, in cooperation with the containing frame, a lens frame
that is held in the lens frame retaining portion, through joining
with the containing frame.
Inventors: |
SHIKAMA; Kazuo; (Tokyo,
JP) ; IMAI; Kenzo; (Tokyo, JP) ; WATANABE;
Nobuaki; (Tokyo, JP) ; IWATO; Shozo; (Tokyo,
JP) ; SAWANOBORI; Koji; (Tokyo, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
NIDEC COPAL CORPORATION |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
NIDEC COPAL CORPORATION
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
62558283 |
Appl. No.: |
16/470311 |
Filed: |
November 24, 2017 |
PCT Filed: |
November 24, 2017 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2017/042254 |
371 Date: |
June 17, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02B 7/02 20130101; G03B
13/36 20130101; G03B 9/04 20130101; G03B 17/02 20130101; G03B 9/02
20130101; G03B 17/12 20130101; G02B 7/04 20130101; H04N 5/2254
20130101; G03B 17/14 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G03B 17/14 20060101
G03B017/14; H04N 5/225 20060101 H04N005/225; G03B 13/36 20060101
G03B013/36; G03B 9/04 20060101 G03B009/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 15, 2016 |
JP |
2016-242834 |
Claims
1. An imaging optical apparatus comprising: a blade containing
member, of a thin shape, for containing a blade member to limit an
opening, having an insertion portion that has an opening; an
actuator causing a blade member to slide; a containing frame
containing the actuator and the blade containing member, except for
the insertion portion, having, on an outer edge, a recessed lens
frame retaining portion into which the insertion portion; a lens
frame, held in the lens frame retaining portion, having an
insertion hole, for insertion of the insertion portion so that the
center of the opening is coaxial with the optical axis; and a clip
holding, in cooperation with the containing frame, the lens frame
that is held in the lens frame retaining portion, through joining
with the containing frame.
2. The imaging optical apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein:
the clip comprises, in the interior thereof, a tip end of the
insertion portion, which protrudes from the lens frame.
3. The imaging optical apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein:
the containing frame and the clip are equipped with mutually
opposing joining faces on the outside of the lens frame retaining
portion; and the clip is equipped with a protruding portion that
protrudes into the lens frame retaining portion.
4. The imaging optical apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further
comprising: a driving member of the actuator, moving the lens frame
in the optical axial direction, is equipped in the clip.
5. The imaging optical apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein:
the driving member is a coil.
6. The imaging optical apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein:
the clip is supported by a wire, and electric power is applied to
the coil through the wire.
7. The imaging optical apparatus as set forth in claim 4, further
comprising: a guiding portion moving along the optical axial
direction is provided in the clip.
8. The imaging optical apparatus as set forth in claim 4, further
comprising: a magnetic material suppressing magnetic interference
with the actuator within the containing frame is provided in the
clip.
9. An imaging device comprising the imaging optical apparatus as
set forth in claim 1.
10. A mobile electronic device comprising an imaging device as set
forth in claim 6.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a National Stage of International
Application PCT/JP2017/042254, filed Nov. 24, 2017 and published as
WO 2018/110249 on Jun. 21, 2018, which claims priority to Japanese
Application No. 2016-242834 filed Dec. 15, 2016. All applications
above are herein incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY
[0002] The present invention relates to a imaging optical apparatus
used in an imaging device, or the like.
BACKGROUND
[0003] An imaging device is equipped with optical devices such as a
lens device, a diaphragm device, and the like. The prior art that
is taught in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication
2004-348030, described below, is a lens device equipped integrally
with a diaphragm mechanism, comprising a lens frame (lens barrel)
and a diaphragm mechanism that is built into the lens frame. The
diaphragm mechanism in this prior art comprises a plurality of
diaphragm blades, an actuator for driving the diaphragm blades, and
a case for containing the diaphragm blades and the actuator, where
the case is formed in a long narrow shape that has a width that is
narrower than the diameter of the lens frame and a length that is
greater than the diameter of the lens frame, and is equipped with
aa diaphragm blade containing part that is inserted into an
insertion hole of the lens frame, and an actuator containing part
that is disposed on the outside of the lens frame. Additionally,
one side of the insertion hole of the lens barrel, into which the
diaphragm blade containing part of the case is inserted, is blocked
by an actuator containing part of the case, and the other side of
the insertion hole is blocked by a cover that covers the tip end of
the diaphragm blade containing part of the case.
SUMMARY
[0004] According to the prior art described above, the lens frame
and the diaphragm mechanism can be integrated, but because the case
of the diaphragm mechanism and the lens frame cannot be secured
strongly, there have been failures wherein the lens frame and the
case for the diaphragm blades have come apart, due to a dropping
impact, or the like, and failures wherein the blade containing part
of the case has moved within the lens frame to come into contact
with the lens. Because the actuator for the diaphragm mechanism,
and the like, is arranged at a side portion of the lens frame,
there has been a problem in that it is difficult to equip, on the
periphery of the lens frame, the actuator for moving the lens
frame, such as for driving the focus.
[0005] The present invention is proposed in order to handle
problems such as these. That is, the object is an imaging optical
apparatus wherein the lens and the diaphragm, and the like, can be
integrated securely, and wherein an actuator used for driving the
focus, and the like, can be arranged easily on the periphery of the
lens frame.
[0006] In order to solve such a problem, the lens driving device
according to the present invention is provided with the following
structures:
[0007] An imaging optical apparatus comprising: a thin blade
containing member for containing a blade member for limiting an
opening, having an insertion portion that has an opening; an
actuator for causing a blade member to slide; a containing frame
for containing the actuator and the blade containing member, except
for the insertion portion, having, on an outer edge, a recessed
lens frame retaining portion into which the insertion portion; a
lens frame, held in the lens frame retaining portion, having an
insertion hole, for insertion of the insertion portion so that the
center of the opening will be coaxial with the optical axis; and a
clip for holding, in cooperation with the containing frame, a lens
frame that is held in the lens frame retaining portion, through
joining with the containing frame.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram depicting an imaging
optical apparatus according to an embodiment (a first embodiment)
of the present invention (wherein (a) is an exterior plan view, and
(b) is a cross-section along A-A).
[0009] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the state wherein the containing
frame, the lens frame, and the clip are separated.
[0010] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective diagram of an imaging
optical apparatus according to an embodiment (second embodiment)
according to the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram depicting the interior
structure of an imaging optical apparatus according to an
embodiment (a second embodiment) of the present invention (wherein
(a) is a plan view, and (b) is a cross-section along A-A).
[0012] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram depicting a mobile
electronic device comprising an imaging driving device (camera
unit).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] Embodiments according to the present invention will be
explained below in reference to the drawings. In the descriptions
below, identical reference symbols in the different drawings below
indicate positions with identical functions, and redundant
explanations in the various drawings are omitted as
appropriate.
[0014] As illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the imaging optical
apparatus 1 according to an embodiment according to the present
invention comprises a blade driving device 2, a lens frame 3, and a
clip 4. The blade driving device 2 comprises blade members 10 (11,
12), blade containing members 20 (21, 22), an actuator 30, and a
containing frame 40.
[0015] The blade containing member 20 is a thin plate-shaped member
having an insertion portion 20B that has an opening 20A, and forms
a blade chamber for containing the blade members 10 therein. The
blade members 10 slide within the blade containing member 20, to
limit the area of opening of the opening 20A. The blade members 10
(11, 12), as illustrated, are provided with openings 11A and 12A
that overlap the opening 20A, and are provided with guide holes 11B
and 12B that engage guide pins 46 that are provided in the
containing frame 40.
[0016] The actuator 30 is a driving source for causing the blade
members 10 to slide, and comprises a coil 31 and a magnet 32. The
coil 31 or the magnet 32 is secured to the driving member 33 that
slides within the containing frame 40, and the other is secured
within the containing frame 40. The driving member 33 is connected
to a lever member 34, the center thereof borne in the containing
frame 40, where the lever member 34 is rotated by the driving
member 33 being caused to slide within the interior of the
containing frame 40 by the actuator 30, causing the blade members
10 (11 and 12) that are connected to the respective left and right
ends of the lever member 34 to slide in mutually opposite
directions. The position of the driving member 33 can be controlled
to an arbitrary position through the output of a Hall element 48
that detects the magnet 32.
[0017] The containing frame 40 contains the actuator 30 and a blade
containing member 20, except for an insertion portion 20B.
Moreover, the containing frame 40 contains the driving member 33
and the lever member 34, referenced above. The driving member 33 is
disposed within the containing frame 40, through a slide member 41,
such as a bearing, or the like, and is provided with a slide groove
42 for supporting the slide member slidably within the containing
frame 40. The driving member 33, through the magnet 32 that is held
therein being attracted to magnetic material 47 that is attached to
the containing frame 40, makes pressing contact with the slide
member 41. The center portion of the lever member 34 is borne on a
rotary shaft 43. Moreover, the outer edge of the containing frame
40 is provided with a recessed lens frame retaining portion 40A
into which an insertion portion 20B of the blade containing member
20 protrudes.
[0018] The lens frame 3 comprises a lens 3L, in the interior
thereof, and has an insertion hole 3A in a side face. An insertion
portion 20B of the blade containing member 20 is inserted into the
lens frame 3 that is held in the lens frame retaining portion 40A.
An opening 20A in the insertion portion 20B that is inserted into
the insertion hole 3A is arranged essentially coaxially with the
optical axis of the lens frame 3. Moreover, the lens frame 3 is
provided with a stepped portion 3C.
[0019] A clip 4 holds the lens frame 3 in cooperation with the
containing frame 40. The lens frame 3, which is held in the lens
frame retaining portion 40A of the containing frame 40, is held
between the containing frame 40 and the clip 4. The containing
frame 40 and the clip 4 are provided with mutually opposing joining
faces on the outside of the lens frame retaining portion 40A. A
joining protruding portion 44 and the positioning protruding
portion 45 are provided on the joining face 40B of the containing
frame 40, and a joining recessed portion 4B, for fitting with the
joining protruding portion 44, and a positioning recessed portion
4C, for fitting with the positioning protruding portion 45, are
provided on the joining face 4A of the clip 4.
[0020] The clip 4 comprises a protruding portion 4D that protrudes
into the lens frame retaining portion 40A of the containing frame
40. The protruding portion 4D is provided with recessed portions
4D1 and 4D2, in compliance with the outer peripheral shape of the
lens frame 3, so as to press the outer periphery of the lens frame
3 that is held in the lens frame retaining portion 40A, through
insertion into the lens frame retaining portion 40A. In the example
in the figure, the outer periphery of the lens frame 3 is equipped
with a stepped portion 3C, and thus two stages of recessed portions
4D1 and 4D2 are provided so as to conform to this stepped
portion.
[0021] Moreover, the clip 4 comprises a tip end containing portion
4E for containing therein the tip end of the insertion portion 20B
that is inserted into the insertion hole 3A of the lens frame 3,
and protrudes from the lens of frame 3. The tip end of the
insertion portion 20B is protected, and deflection thereof is
suppressed, through being contained within the tip end containing
portion 4E.
[0022] In the imaging optical apparatus 1 that is structured in
this way, an insertion portion 20B, having an opening 20A, is
inserted into the lens frame 3, and a blade driving device 2 for
driving the blade members 10 (11, 12) that limit the opening 20A
can be arranged integrally with the lens frame 3, thus enabling the
achievement of an imaging optical apparatus 1 that is compact and
that can adjust the functional brightness.
[0023] Additionally, the imaging optical apparatus 1 is a structure
wherein the lens frame 3 is held pressed between the containing
frame 40 of the blade driving device 2 and the clip 4, thus
enabling the lens frame 3 to be secured strongly, which can
suppress failures due to the blade driving device 2 coming out of
the lens frame 3 when there is a dropping impact.
[0024] Moreover, because the structure is one wherein the insertion
hole 3A that is provided in the lens frame 3 is surrounded by the
containing frame 40 and the clip 4, this can suppress stray light
that enters into the lens frame 3 from the insertion hole 3A, and
leakage light that leaks out from the lens frame 3, enabling
prevention of ghost images or unintentional reductions in
brightness.
[0025] Moreover, in the imaging optical apparatus 1, the tip end of
the insertion portion 20B of the blade driving device 2, which is
inserted into the lens frame 3, can be contained in the tip end
containing portion 4E of the clip 4 that is combined with the
containing frame 40 of the blade driving device 2, thus making it
possible to protect the tip end of the insertion portion 20B, where
the tip end, in a cantilevered state, would tend to be deflected
easily, and can prevent the insertion portion 20B from coming into
contact with the lens 3L, through suppressing deflection of the tip
end of the insertion portion 20B.
[0026] Moreover, in the imaging optical apparatus 1, when the
joining face 40B of the containing frame 40 of the blade driving
device 2 and the joining face 4A of the clip 4 are joined together,
the flat joining faces 40B and 40A can be secured together
strongly, through adhesively bonding together, or the like, and
secure and highly accurate joining is possible through fitting the
joining protruding portion 44 and positioning protruding portion
45, that are provided on the joining face 40B, into the joining
recessed portion 4B and the positioning recessed portion 4C that
are provided in the joining face 4A.
[0027] Moreover, because the clip 4 is bonded to one side of the
containing frame 40 of the blade driving device 2 in the imaging
optical apparatus 1, through providing, on the clip 4, a mechanism
for attracting or repelling the driving member 33 that slides
within the containing frame 40 of the blade driving device 2, the
position of the driving member 33 in the unpowered state can be
held stably in the fully open position or the fully closed
position. Specifically, through the provision, in the clip 4, of a
magnetic member that magnetically attracts or magnetically repels
the magnet 32 that is provided in the driving member 33, the
position of the driving member 33 can be held stably in the fully
open position or the fully closed position.
[0028] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show an imaging optical apparatus
according to another embodiment according to the present invention.
This imaging optical apparatus 1, as with the example described
above, comprises a blade driving device 2, a lens frame 3, and a
clip 4, where a driving member 51 of an actuator 50, for driving
the lens frame 3 together with the blade driving device 2 in the
optical axial direction, is equipped on the clip 4. In the example
that is illustrated, the driving member 51 is a coil.
[0029] The imaging optical apparatus 1 depicted in FIG. 3 and FIG.
4 comprises a base member 5, where the blade driving device 2, the
lens frame 3, and the clip 4 are equipped so as to be able to move
in respect to the base member 5.
[0030] Because of this, a guiding portion 53 is provided in the
clip 4 so as to cause the lens frame 3 to move along the optical
axial direction. In the figure, the guiding portion 53 is a groove
that extends in the optical axial direction of the lens frame 3,
where a bearing 54 is supported slidably in this groove, and the
clip 4 is supported movably on the base member 5 through the
bearing 54. In the actuator 50, one of the driving members 51 (for
example, the coil) is attached to the clip 4 side, and the other
driving member 52 (for example, the magnet) is attached to the base
member 5 side. Moreover, yokes 55 and 56 are disposed, facing the
driving members 51 and 52, on the clip 4 and the base member 5.
[0031] In such an imaging optical apparatus 1, the provision of the
driving member 51 on the clip 4 for holding the blade driving
device 2 in the lens frame 3 enables the lens frame 3 to be moved
in the optical axial direction in a state wherein the blade driving
device 2 and the lens frame 3 are integrated into a single unit,
enabling autofocus control to be carried out linked to the
operation of the blade driving device 2. In the example in the
figure, the clip 4 is supported elastically on the base member 5
through a wire 57, with the wire 57 as the path for the electric
power, enabling power to be applied to the coil (the driving member
51) that is equipped in the clip 4. In this way, when the driving
member 51 of the actuator 50 is provided in the clip 4, preferably
magnetic material, for suppressing magnetic interference, is
provided in the clip 4 so that there will be no magnetic
interference between the actuator 50 and the actuator 30 that is
within the containing frame 40 of the blade driving device 2.
[0032] Note that in another embodiment, camera shaking correction
control may also be performed through the base member 5 being held
so as to enable movement in the direction that is perpendicular to
the optical axis. In this case, a bearing, or the like, may be used
as a supporting member, and a voice coil motor (VCM), or the like,
may be used as the driving member. [0033] Moreover, as another
embodiment, the configuration may be so as to not perform the
autofocus control of the autofocus control and camera shaking
correction control. [0034] Moreover, as yet another embodiment, a
filter may be provided in the opening 11A and/or 12A of the blade
member 10. For example, adjustment to the amount of exposure
through the use of an ND filter may be enabled through the
provision of an ND filter in the opening 11A.
[0035] A camera unit (imaging device) can be structured through
combining the imaging optical apparatus 1 of the various
embodiments described above with an imaging element (CCD), not
shown. This camera unit can be thinner and smaller, and can use
less installation space in, for example, a mobile electronic
device. Moreover, because this enables combination with the blade
driving device 2 to be performed after adjusting the lens frame 3,
and the like, this enables adjustments to be made easily and with
high accuracy.
[0036] FIG. 6 depicts a mobile electronic device (mobile
information terminal) 200 that is equipped with the camera 100. The
mobile electronic device 200, such as a smart phone, or the like,
has severe limitations on the thickness of the units packaged in
the interior thereof, but the camera 100, as described above,
enables a reduction in thickness through assembly with the blade
driving device 2 contained within the thickness of the lens frame
3, thus enabling packaging with excellent spatial efficiency in a
mobile electronic device 200 that targets high portability and
design characteristics. Note that the members disposed within the
frame 3 in these examples have the layout positions and shapes
designed so as to be assembled sequentially from one side of the
base frame 5.
[0037] While embodiments according to the present invention were
described in detail above, referencing the drawings, the specific
structures thereof are not limited to these embodiments, but rather
design variations within a range that does not deviate from the
spirit and intent of the present invention are also included in the
present invention. Moreover, insofar as there are no particular
contradictions or problems in purposes or structures, or the like,
the technologies of the various embodiments described above may be
used together in combination.
* * * * *